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Chapter Twenty-Five
Warm sunlight was on his face. The scent of herbs and a faint hint of smoke were in the air. He knew even before he was fully awake that this meant he was in the healer's house. He could hear the wooden wind chimes clattering in the breeze outside, warding off any evil spirits that may do harm to the patients. His head was lying on a soft pillow, a warm blanket was tucked up to his chest. He shifted his sore muscles and then stopped himself. Someone was holding his hand.
Vexx opened his eyes and brought himself fully into the waking world. He stared up at the thatched ceiling for a time, unsure if he should move. The room was silent. Carefully he turned his head.
Sitting on the floor was Gly. His eyes were closed, his head resting on the edge of the bed on his folded arm. He looked a mess from the battle, bruised and bandaged. Vexx imagined that he looked no better off himself.
Gly's hand was lightly wrapped about Vexx's shield hand as he slept. Vexx blinked sharply at this and tried to sit up a little. The pain in his back warned him to not move. He lay still.
A movement caught his attention. Kiri was standing in the doorway, leaning her shoulder upon the door frame, just the same as she had been the night before. She and Vexx looked at each other in silence for a time, each trying to read what the other was thinking, but to no avail. Kiri finally whispered, "He hasn't left your side," she nodded to Gly. "Not for a moment. I told him he'll hurt himself sleeping like that, but… he's stubborn." She pressed her lips together tightly and cast her gaze on the floor.
Vexx looked away as well, returning his eyes to the ceiling. He expected that she would leave now. No doubt she was just here to make sure that Gly was doing alright. After all, someone had to look after that fool. She seemed a perfect candidate.
Much to Vexx's surprise, Kiri instead moved to his bedside. Kneeling on the opposite side of the bed from Gly, she fixed Vexx with a stern look that made him fear he was in for the lecture of his life. He knew he owed her an apology. This showed in his eyes. The warrior flinched back as Kiri's hand moved toward his face. She paid it no mind as she pushed his ragged hair back away from his cheeks.
She whispered to him, "Don't you ever do that again." Vexx wanted to tell her that he never meant to attack her, that is had been a mistake on his part. Her firm gaze from before melted away, and Vexx realized that the whole reason it had been there to begin with was to dam back the tears that she knew were coming. Biting her lip, Kiri took hold of his sword hand. "Don't you ever scare me like that again. You're not allowed to die, do you hear me?"
This conversation had shot off in a totally different direction and Vexx felt lost in the wake of her words. He nodded once for lack of anything else he could think to do. With a quiet sob, Kiri rested her forehead on the back of his War Talon.
The warrior's gaze returned to the ceiling a final time. He'd found himself with someone holding each of his hands. Holding his hands. It had been so long since he knew such a feeling. He could feel Kiri's tears fall onto his wrist. He closed his eyes and joined her in her weeping, silent as ever.
Warm sunlight was on his face. The scent of herbs and a faint hint of smoke were in the air. He knew even before he was fully awake that this meant he was in the healer's house. He could hear the wooden wind chimes clattering in the breeze outside, warding off any evil spirits that may do harm to the patients. His head was lying on a soft pillow, a warm blanket was tucked up to his chest. He shifted his sore muscles and then stopped himself. Someone was holding his hand.
Vexx opened his eyes and brought himself fully into the waking world. He stared up at the thatched ceiling for a time, unsure if he should move. The room was silent. Carefully he turned his head.
Sitting on the floor was Gly. His eyes were closed, his head resting on the edge of the bed on his folded arm. He looked a mess from the battle, bruised and bandaged. Vexx imagined that he looked no better off himself.
Gly's hand was lightly wrapped about Vexx's shield hand as he slept. Vexx blinked sharply at this and tried to sit up a little. The pain in his back warned him to not move. He lay still.
A movement caught his attention. Kiri was standing in the doorway, leaning her shoulder upon the door frame, just the same as she had been the night before. She and Vexx looked at each other in silence for a time, each trying to read what the other was thinking, but to no avail. Kiri finally whispered, "He hasn't left your side," she nodded to Gly. "Not for a moment. I told him he'll hurt himself sleeping like that, but… he's stubborn." She pressed her lips together tightly and cast her gaze on the floor.
Vexx looked away as well, returning his eyes to the ceiling. He expected that she would leave now. No doubt she was just here to make sure that Gly was doing alright. After all, someone had to look after that fool. She seemed a perfect candidate.
Much to Vexx's surprise, Kiri instead moved to his bedside. Kneeling on the opposite side of the bed from Gly, she fixed Vexx with a stern look that made him fear he was in for the lecture of his life. He knew he owed her an apology. This showed in his eyes. The warrior flinched back as Kiri's hand moved toward his face. She paid it no mind as she pushed his ragged hair back away from his cheeks.
She whispered to him, "Don't you ever do that again." Vexx wanted to tell her that he never meant to attack her, that is had been a mistake on his part. Her firm gaze from before melted away, and Vexx realized that the whole reason it had been there to begin with was to dam back the tears that she knew were coming. Biting her lip, Kiri took hold of his sword hand. "Don't you ever scare me like that again. You're not allowed to die, do you hear me?"
This conversation had shot off in a totally different direction and Vexx felt lost in the wake of her words. He nodded once for lack of anything else he could think to do. With a quiet sob, Kiri rested her forehead on the back of his War Talon.
The warrior's gaze returned to the ceiling a final time. He'd found himself with someone holding each of his hands. Holding his hands. It had been so long since he knew such a feeling. He could feel Kiri's tears fall onto his wrist. He closed his eyes and joined her in her weeping, silent as ever.
Vexx: Shadow Puppets, ch. 24Chapter Twenty-Four
The dark clouds in the sky circled and crackled with lightning. All eyes were fixed in terror upon the Shadow Wraith as he stood upon the hillside, gripping the sides of his head and howling like a thousand winds. His form shifted and twisted, becoming nothing more than shadows in the darkness. Finally, he reformed into his full Shadow Wraith state. He appeared Valdar in general form and stature, his fur was the color of ash. Jet black hair and two sets of twisted white horns framed his face. His hands slid out from the long sleeves of his shadow robe and he held them toward the sky. Silver blades tipped each finger, a graceful hybrid of metal and flesh, imitating the War Talon design and refining it. His forearms were metal as well, formed from many interlocking plates like dragon scales. His lips twisted in a smirk. The smirk gave way to laughter, loud and victorious, baring sharp fangs. His fierce
Vexx: Shadow Puppets, ch. 26Chapter Twenty-Six
There was really much debate to be had about weeding before or after irrigation. On the plus side, the mud made it easier to pull up the pesky plants. On the down side… well, there was mud. Vexx sat back and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. At least harvest was coming soon. Then weeding would be the least of his worries. He was tempted to throw the idea out now and let the things do whatever they wanted. It wasn't as if the weeds could get very big before the first frost anyway. Still, after the neglect that his herb garden had suffered while he was recovering, he figured that he needed to put all the effort he could into things to get a decent harvest now. He did want to have a reasonable amount of tea over the winter, so work it was.
The sound of footsteps caught his attention. Vexx sat up, sighting a figure moving between the trees. Kiri approached, lifting her skirts as she moved thoug
Getting the posting of this story wrapped up so we can head on to new things in the new year.
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